In this guide, we will explain the concept of 'sociability' in activism. We discuss bringing about the best of human nature. And we talk about how you can design social spaces that encourage connection and collaboration.
Sociability is the degree to which we are social. Strong societies are built on top of complex networks of human relationships that bind everyone together. Social change happens through the process of building social relationships.
As activists, we try to strengthen these social relationships in large groups of people called 'social movements'. We move people into a state where they are more connected. From parent associations to labour unions, these organizations form the social fabric of society and are the foundation of well functioning democracies. The better we organize these social groups, the more people power we hold, which means that we can more effectively challenge injustice and oppression. The stronger this social fabric, the more resilient a society becomes, which means that together we are better prepared to face crises (such as the ones created by climate breakdown).
Fascists seek to destroy all organic social spaces, and replace them with state-governed social spaces: state controlled youth clubs, art galleries, sports clubs, education, etc. A fascist cannot allow for alternative social spaces, because all of these hold the potential to become a place of alternative thought and action, thus challenging their power. The more complex, elaborate and diverse the social fabric of a society, the harder it becomes to destroy or control. The weaker our social ties, the easier it becomes to divide us, to spread fear and distrust.
Some people define sociability as a more individualistic thing: the degree to which an individual is social. For example, they call an extravert individual very 'sociable'. We think this is a wrong way to look at social relationships. Relationships are all about the connections between individuals, not the individuals themselves. Some individuals have lots of connections to others, and other individuals may have few connections, and both is fine! Activism is about strengthening the entire network of social relationships in society, rather than counting the number of friends an individual may have.
Interestingly, social media platforms such as Facebook have made similar promises of bringing the world together through social connections over the internet. To clarify, this is not the kind of sociability we are talking about. While the internet can be a place that brings people together, we all know that it can also do the exact opposite. Importantly, social media platforms often fail in two significant ways: (1) only superficial relationships are built and (2) closed cultures (”bubbles”) are encouraged, rather than open cultures. And this is by design: these apps are deliberately designed to make us addicted to our phones through rage scrolling, as an intermediate to connect with other humans, rather than connecting with those humans directly. By making us reach for our phones whenever we long for human connection, they can show us more ads and make more money.
We do not mean superficial connections like those built on 'social' media platforms such as Instagram or TikTok. Rather, we are talking about meaningful relationships that are created through shared experiences, from having dinner together to blocking a road together. Quality over quantity. These are the kinds of loving relationships that create life-long empathy and solidarity — the kind of relationships that make this world a better place.
Activism is all about moving people into action, and the people around us are most likely to influence us.
Many activists are mistaken about the role of knowledge in change-making. Information, facts or statistics do not move people to act. People do not wake up every morning, rationally making a balance of all the facts to determine what they’re gonna do that day. No, we are largely driven by habits, emotions and the people around us.
So if you want to convince someone you do not know to take action for the climate crisis, you should not send them e-mails telling them how many degrees the earth has already warmed up, asking them to sign a petition (no relationships are built or strengthened). A more effective strategy is to get to know them and invite them to join an event with other people to form a connection with. And sure, you can talk about the climate crisis during that event. But that’s not why they joined: they care more about you than they do about the climate crisis. After the event, will they join a protest action? Sure, you need to talk about your strategy. But a more important determinant of whether they will join is the degree to which they feel comfortable with the group. So your event should be less you talking, and more people talking with each other, getting to know each other.
It is human nature to act this way, so it is just pragmatic to adapt your strategy to this. It is only natural to want to feel connected with others, to feel a sense of belonging and inclusion, to feel like you matter to others. By fulfilling these basic human needs, we make activism something that gives us energy, rather than draining us.
But more fundamentally: it is not a bad thing that people are driven by emotion, group pressure or other social relationships. Us being social beings is actually one of the greatest aspects of being human. In our individualistic society, being emotional is often frowned upon. When we cry or show anger in public, we tend to apologize. Emotion is seen as something you have to overcome:
“People are voting with their gut rather than their ratio, which is why they’re making the wrong choices. If only people would just rationally look at the consequences of putting CO2 into the atmosphere, if only they knew the facts, they’d surely stop doing it”.
This is just bullshit. People know the climate crisis is a thing. We’ve had the facts for decades. Yet nothing changes. Why is it a bad thing to warm up the planet? Because it’s harming the people we love! Allowing ourselves to feel emotion in connection with other human beings is making us more complete as humans and drives us to take action.
Most importantly: a more social society, one in which empathy, love and solidarity rule, is exactly what we strive towards. The most direct way to get there is by building social connections. Sociability is a tool, but above all, the ultimate goal.
Sociability is about community building, but it is about more than that. Building communities in such a way that certain people or groups of people are excluded is very dangerous! Open cultures are a vital part of healthy social groups.
There are three ways of building strong social groups: